In 2022, India withdrew its forces and equipment from the Ayni Air Base in Tajikistan after the lease expired — bringing an end to two decades of strategic presence that had given New Delhi leverage over Pakistan and influence in Central Asia.

Ayni Air Base

Ayni Air Base, also known as the Gissar Military Aerodrome, is located about 10 kilometers from Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. Developed by India in the early 2000s, it became the country’s first and only overseas military base.

The airbase was originally a Soviet-era facility, which India helped rebuild and modernize with an investment of around $100 million. The project included upgrading the 3,200-meter runway, building refueling and maintenance facilities, and creating infrastructure that could support Su-30MKI fighter jets and helicopters.

Run jointly with the Tajik authorities, Ayni Air Base became an important forward base for India’s military and strategic operations in Central Asia. For over two decades, it has stood as a symbol of India’s growing reach and partnership in the region, showing India’s ability to project power and maintain strong ties beyond its borders.

How the Ayni Airbase Benefited India

The Ayni Air Base proved to be an important strategic asset for India, both strategically and politically. Its proximity to Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor gave India a unique geographical advantage near Pakistan’s northern front — an edge no other Indian base could offer..

From a military point of view, Ayni allowed India to extend its air reach and improve logistical support for missions in Central Asia. It also helped in surveillance and emergency operations in and around Afghanistan, especially during times of conflict.

But Ayni wasn’t just about defense. It played a big role in strengthening India’s presence in Central Asia, a region mostly influenced by Russia and increasingly by China. Through Ayni, India could work more closely with its partners in the fight against terrorism and even use the base for rescue and humanitarian missions, like during the 2021 Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

More than anything, Ayni symbolized India’s soft power — built through friendship and cooperation, not control. It showed that India aims to be a responsible and influential regional power, ready to contribute to peace and stability beyond its borders

What Went Wrong

By 2022, after almost twenty years of operation, India withdrew all its personnel and equipment from the Ayni Air Base. This followed the expiry of the bilateral lease agreement, which Tajikistan chose not to renew.

Reports suggest that the decision was influenced by pressure from Russia and China, both of whom were uncomfortable with a non-regional military power like India operating in Central Asia.

The situation also changed after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021. With limited access and reduced operational need, the Ayni base no longer served the strategic purpose it once did.

In simple terms, a mix of diplomatic challenges, regional politics, and the end of the agreement led to India’s gradual exit from Ayni — marking the end of an important chapter in India’s overseas defense presence.

How Big a Setback It Is

The closure of the Ayni Air Base is a major setback for India’s efforts to expand its strategic reach. Ayni was more than just an airfield — it was India’s only strong foothold in Central Asia, a region important for energy security, trade routes, and counterterrorism efforts.

With the loss of Ayni, India no longer has a forward operating base that once allowed surveillance over Pakistan, Afghanistan, and even parts of China’s Xinjiang region. This also gives Russia and China more space to strengthen their influence in Central Asia, where they already play dominant roles.

For India, the withdrawal highlights the challenges of sustaining a long-term overseas military presence — and underscores the delicate balance of regional geopolitics. It also raises tough questions — can India still play an active and meaningful role in Central Asia, or will Russia and China continue to shape the region’s future without much Indian presence?

India’s exit from the Ayni Air Base is more than the end of a lease — it’s the end of a chapter in India’s regional strategy. The base had once represented ambition, reach, and resolve. Its closure, however, reflects the harsh realities of Central Asian geopolitics, where India’s strategic space is shrinking.

While India continues to seek partnerships in the region through forums like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and connectivity projects such as the Chabahar Port, the loss of Ayni leaves a gap that may take years to fill.

Analysts believe India’s focus may now shift toward deepening defense cooperation with Central Asian states through multilateral platforms like the SCO and through economic corridors such as the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC). However, without a physical base like Ayni, India’s influence will rely more on diplomacy than on direct presence.